A Transformation from an Unchanging God
Notes
Transcript
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I. God is unchanging.
I. God is unchanging.
A. We know God has not changed from Genesis to Revelation He is the same.
A. We know God has not changed from Genesis to Revelation He is the same.
6 For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
1. The God of the Old Testament is the same God in the New!
1. The God of the Old Testament is the same God in the New!
B. God cannot lie.
B. God cannot lie.
19 God is not a man, that he should lie; Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
1. God is truth. Thus, the reason He cannot lie!
1. God is truth. Thus, the reason He cannot lie!
2. We must also have faith that He is, and that He rewards those who seek Him!
2. We must also have faith that He is, and that He rewards those who seek Him!
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
i. If you seek Him you will find Him!
i. If you seek Him you will find Him!
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
ii. In the New Testament Jesus saying something similar.
ii. In the New Testament Jesus saying something similar.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
C. I’m talking about a God who never changes! He never has and He never will!
C. I’m talking about a God who never changes! He never has and He never will!
II. This unchanging God is in the transforming business!
II. This unchanging God is in the transforming business!
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
A. When our unchanging God is sought for and found things begin to change in us!
A. When our unchanging God is sought for and found things begin to change in us!
1. In fact, when He changes us there is no remnant of the old!
1. In fact, when He changes us there is no remnant of the old!
2. The definition of the word translated new from the original language is:
2. The definition of the word translated new from the original language is:
i. not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time. dictionary.com
i. not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time. dictionary.com
3. When His unchanging Spirit comes inside of us a process of change is then started in our lives.
3. When His unchanging Spirit comes inside of us a process of change is then started in our lives.
4. This is why I believe Paul told the church at Rome that they should allow their minds to be transformed by God!
4. This is why I believe Paul told the church at Rome that they should allow their minds to be transformed by God!
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
B. When I think of a change in a person after God got involved in their lives I think about Jacob.
B. When I think of a change in a person after God got involved in their lives I think about Jacob.
1. Jacob in the first part of his life lived a life that was self-centered and deceptive.
1. Jacob in the first part of his life lived a life that was self-centered and deceptive.
i. He connived his brother Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of soup. (Genesis 25:29-34)
i. He connived his brother Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of soup. (Genesis 25:29-34)
ii. He then scheme’s with his mother to steal the blessing of the first born as well. (Genesis 27:1-29)
ii. He then scheme’s with his mother to steal the blessing of the first born as well. (Genesis 27:1-29)
iii. Because of this we find that Jacob ends up running for his life from his brother because of what he had done!
iii. Because of this we find that Jacob ends up running for his life from his brother because of what he had done!
iv. Jacob had a small encounter with God as he was running to Uncle Laban’s which I believe left an impression upon him.
iv. Jacob had a small encounter with God as he was running to Uncle Laban’s which I believe left an impression upon him.
v. Jacob makes it to Uncle Laban’s and makes a deal with him to marry his daughter. Laban tricked him and gave him the wrong daughter. There were many other things that Laban deceptively treated Jacob in.
v. Jacob makes it to Uncle Laban’s and makes a deal with him to marry his daughter. Laban tricked him and gave him the wrong daughter. There were many other things that Laban deceptively treated Jacob in.
vi. Jacob snuck away and headed back home, but on his way home Jacob had to encounter his past, in the form of his brother Esau.
vi. Jacob snuck away and headed back home, but on his way home Jacob had to encounter his past, in the form of his brother Esau.
a. The night before this transpired Jacob found himself in crisis with God and his old self at the crossing at Jabbok!
a. The night before this transpired Jacob found himself in crisis with God and his old self at the crossing at Jabbok!
b. Jacob realized that in this crisis he needed someone other than his own deceitful conniving ways to get him out of the situations he had found himself in.
b. Jacob realized that in this crisis he needed someone other than his own deceitful conniving ways to get him out of the situations he had found himself in.
22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
c. As Jacob wrestled with this being he had determined that he wasn’t giving up until something changed!
c. As Jacob wrestled with this being he had determined that he wasn’t giving up until something changed!
d. In order for things to change Jacob had to be willing to face who he had been in order to be changed from his old self to his new self!
d. In order for things to change Jacob had to be willing to face who he had been in order to be changed from his old self to his new self!
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
e. When everyone saw Jacob the next day they knew something had happened to him because he was walking different!
e. When everyone saw Jacob the next day they knew something had happened to him because he was walking different!
III. Do you want transformation in your life?
III. Do you want transformation in your life?
A. Jesus told us that if we wanted something that we needed to ask Him for it!
A. Jesus told us that if we wanted something that we needed to ask Him for it!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
1. In Acts 2 the preacher preached to a bunch of people and told them they had messed up and that they had crucified the Lord! They wanted to know what it was they needed to do to fix the mess they had made!
1. In Acts 2 the preacher preached to a bunch of people and told them they had messed up and that they had crucified the Lord! They wanted to know what it was they needed to do to fix the mess they had made!
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
i. He said you are going to need to Repent.
i. He said you are going to need to Repent.
a. To Repent means “to change one’s mind, to think differently”.
a. To Repent means “to change one’s mind, to think differently”.
b. The Scripture tells us that it is the will of God that ALL MEN EVERYWHERE repent!
b. The Scripture tells us that it is the will of God that ALL MEN EVERYWHERE repent!
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
1. Can I put it this way? “…but now command all men everywhere to be changed!”
1. Can I put it this way? “…but now command all men everywhere to be changed!”
B. In closing, we should lay aside every WEIGHT and SIN that does easily distract us!
B. In closing, we should lay aside every WEIGHT and SIN that does easily distract us!
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1. Weight in the original: a burden, weight, encumbrance
1. Weight in the original: a burden, weight, encumbrance
2. Beset in the original: skilfully surrounding i. e. besetting, namely, to prevent or retard running:
2. Beset in the original: skilfully surrounding i. e. besetting, namely, to prevent or retard running:
C. Are you ready to surrender your life to God today? Are you ready to lay aside some weights and sin that
C. Are you ready to surrender your life to God today? Are you ready to lay aside some weights and sin that